From Seoul, South Korea, September 2018

1. Korea Open, Seoul, South Korea

ABOUT

The 2018 Korea Open is a women's professional tennis tournament to be played on hard courts. It is be the 15th edition of the tournament, and part of the 2018 WTA Tour. It takes place in Seoul, South Korea between 17 and 23 September 2018.

So happy to have arrived at the Korea Open week! I was there in spite of rain to cheer for the Romanian players, Irina Begu and Raluca Olaru. Begu lost to Sakkari in the quarter-finals, and in the doubles matches Begu and Olaru lost to the Taiwanese pair Hsieh/Hsieh.

POINTS

Winner - 280 / Runner-up - 180 / Semifinalists - 110 / Quarter-finalists - 60 /

Round of 16 - 30 / Round of 32 - 1

SEEDS

<He he! Someone caught me on camera and sent me this pic! >

MY PICS FROM THE EVENT

FINALISTS

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands) defeated Ajla Tomljanovic (Australia), score 7(7)-6(2), 4-6, 6-2

 WINNER 

Kiki Bertens (Netherlands)

FINAL HIGHLIGHTS

***

2017 WINNER: Jelena Ostapenko (Latvia)

2017 Final Highlights

2016 WINNER: Irina Camelia Begu (Romania)

2. Toray Pan Pacific Open, Tokyo, Japan

ABOUT

The 2018 Toray Pan Pacific Open is a women's tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts. It is be the 35th edition of the Pan Pacific Open, and part of the Premier Series of the 2018 WTA Tour. It takes place at the Arena Tachikawa Tachihi in Tokyo, Japan, on 17–23 September 2018.

POINTS

Winner - 470 / Runner-up - 305 / Semifinalists - 185 / Quarter-finalists - 100 /

Round of 16 - 55 / Round of 32 - 1

SEEDS

FINALISTS

Naomi Osaka (Japan) was defeated by Karolina Pliskova ( Czech Republic), score 6-4 6-4

 WINNER 

Karolina Pliskova ( Czech Republic)

FINAL HIGHLIGHTS

***

2017 WINNER: Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark)

2017 Final Highlights

3. Guangzhou Open, China

ABOUT

The 2018 Guangzhou International Women's Open is a women's tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It iss the 15th edition of the Guangzhou International Women's Open, and part of the WTA International tournaments of the 2018 WTA Tour. It takes place in Guangzhou, China, from September 17 through September 22, 2018.

POINTS

Winner - 280 / Runner-up - 180 / Semifinalists - 110 / Quarter-finalists - 60 /

Round of 16 - 30 / Round of 32 - 1

FINALISTS

Wang Qiang (China) defeated Yulia Putintseva (Kazakhstan, photo), score 6-1 6-2

 WINNER 

Wang Qiang (China)

FINAL HIGHLIGHTS

***

2017 WINNER: Zhang Shuai (China)

wtatennis.com

wikipedia.com

From Seoul, South Korea, April 2018

1. Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Sttutgart, Germany

ABOUT:

The Porsche Tennis Grand Prix is a women's tennis tournament played on indoor clay courts. It will be the 41st edition of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and part of the Premier tournaments of the 2018 WTA Tour. It will take place at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, from 23 to 29 April.

Point system for singles

winner - 470

finalist - 305

semifinalists - 185

quarter finalists - 100

round of 16 - 55

round of 32 - 1

Seeds

FINALISTS:

Karolina Pliskova (Czech, right) and Coco Vandeweghe (USA, left)

Score: 7(7)-6(2), 6-4

   WINNER:   

Karolina Pliskova

2017 winner:

Laura Siegemund, Germany

2. TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup, Turkey

ABOUT:

The 2018 İstanbul Cup (also known as the TEB BNP Paribas İstanbul Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts. It will be the 11th edition of the İstanbul Cup, and part of the WTA International tournaments of the 2018 WTA Tour. It will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, from 23 through 29 April 2018.

Point system for singles

winner - 280

finalist - 180

semifinalists - 110

quarter finalists - 60

round of 16 - 30

round of 32 - 1

Seeds

FINALISTS:

Pauline Parmentier (France) and Polona Hercog (Slovenia)

Score: 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

Pauline Parmentier (France)

Polona Hercog (Slovenia)

   WINNER:   

Pauline Parmentier (France)

2017 winner:

Elina Svitolina, Ukraine

wtatennis.com

wikipedia.com

From Cluj-Napoca, Romania, February 2018

Qatar Total Open, Doha

<Winner: Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic>

The 2018 Qatar Total Open is a professional women's tennis tournament played on hard courts.  It turned into a WTA Premier 5 tournament starting with the 2018 WTA Tour. 

Points (singles):

Winner - 900

Runner-up - 585

Semifinal - 350

Quarter final - 190

Round of 16 - 105

Round of 32 - 60

Round of 56 - 1

Seeds:

Seed No 1 Caroline Wozniacky was defeated by Petra Kvitova in the semifinals. Seed No 2 Simona Halep was scheduled to play Garbine Muguruza in the semis, but she withdrew before the match due to an older unhealed ankle injury. 

2017 champion:

Karolina Pliskova, Czech Republic

wtatennis.com

wikipedia.com

From Georgensgmund, Bayern, Germany, January 2018

Danish Caroline Wozniacki is finally a Grand Slam champion, after securing victory

 over top seed Simona Halep in her first Australian Open final, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4. 

"I think last year, already for a year and a half, I've proved that I can beat anyone out there

on court", Wozniacki said at her post-championship press conference. 

"When you're in the finals, I'm not going to lie, I was really nervous before going out there on court,

but once I kind of settled in and we had the warmup, I thought, I have everything to win."

Simona Halep had an impressive comeback in the first set when, from the score 4 to 1 for Wozniacki,

 she pushed the set into tiebreak.

However she was defeated in the tiebreak in the end.

Halep won the second set, 6 to 3, but she got more and more tired, while Wozniacki 

seemed to manage her condition better.

In all, Caroline hit just 19 unforced errors and 25 winners in a nearly 3 hours match. 

For Halep, it was another agressive display: 40 winners off-set by 46 unforced errors, accompanied

by an impressive six aces off her ever-improving serve.

Simona had more winners, but also more errors. Caroline's winners came in key moments 

of the match. This, and her better physical condition were the aspects which mattered in the end.

"I was really tired", Halep said after the match. "I had so many problems at my feet, pain everywhere.

But, you know, I think I did pretty well with all the things that were going on.

After the first set, I was just out. I don't know what happened. No energy, no power. 

But then I just said that I have to hit all the balls, and then I could take the second set."

<Caroline reacts after the final point>

Wozniacki had been the underdof in her first previous Grand Slam (US Open) finals, against 

Kim Clijters in 2009 and Serena Williams in 2014. She had her own physical issues late 

in the AO final, calling her trainer for an acute left knee injury.

<Players hug after match>

With the match in critical stage, Caroline got one last streak, earning the championship point with

 a sensational rally and taking the win one point later, becoming the first from her country

 to win a singles Grand Slam title.

"That was a crazy point. I think we both played very well."

"I can still smile", Halep said. "It's fine. I cried, but now I'm smiling. It's just a tennis match in the end. 

But I'm really sad I couldn't win. I was close again, but the gas was over in the end."

"She was better. She was fresher. She had actually more energy in the end."

<Simona and her team>

Ranked No. 1 for 67 weeks between 2010 and 2012, Wozniacki will return to the top spot 

on Monday after six years.

"I think being the new Grand Slam champion and World No. 1 sounds pretty good. I'm very excited for that.

 It's a dream come true."

VIDEOS:

Blood pressure is rising, Halep seeks medical treatment

Caroline Wozniacki press conference (F)

Simona Halep press conference (WF) 

The fight to the top: Halep v Wozniacki final

spiegel.de

wtatennis.com

ausopen.com

From Ganghwa Island, South Korea, January 2018

1.Brisbane, Australia

SEMIFINALISTS

RESULTS

WINNER

***

2. Shenzhen, China

SEMIFINALISTS

RESULTS

WINNER

***

3. Auckland, New Zealand

SEMIFINALISTS

FINALISTS

WINNER

wtatennis.com

From Seoul, South Korea, October 2017

안녕 folks!

Caroline Wozniacki with the trophy

WTA Finals Singapore. The competition reuniting the best 8 players in women’s tennis. It is the last competition of the year, and the most important after the 4 Grand Slams. This year the best world 8 competed against each other in 2 groups, and indeed, each game was worth watching! When the best 8 play among themselves each game is like a final.

 Group standings, semifinals, final & points and prize won. Interesting fact: the participation fee of $ 151 000 is deducted from the prize, so players who did not make it to the final or at least the semifinals, perhaps won't sleep well until the next season begins. :D

Danish player Caroline Wozniacki triumphed over veteran Venus Williams in the final game in Singapore, a game which ended 6-4 6-4. The second set saw Caroline almost winner as she was leading with 5 games to zero, but as champion that she is, Venus made an unforgettable comeback winning 4 games in a row. Caroline however, was strong enough not to be intimidated, ending up with the trophy, and the money of course. Moreover, she climbed 3 positions in the year-end rankings, from no 6 to no 3. 

Caroline reached the fisrt WTA position only once before, between October 2010 and February 2011. She has never won a Grand Slam tournament, which makes this Singapore trophy the most important for her so far.

You can see the higlights of the game here: youtube link Don't miss the second set! It was epic! 

Incredible Venus, at 37 years old

The most important title in Wozniacki's career. She has never won a Grand Slam. 

But she nailed this final.

THE OTHER STORY, YEAR-END NO 1 IN WOMEN'S TENNIS: SIMONA HALEP. 

THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF ROMANIAN TENNIS EVER

Halep was not able to reach the semifinals. She won her first group game against French Caroline Garcia, but lost to Wozniacki and Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. As the only player who could threaten her no 1 position, Czech Karolina Pliskova lost in the semifinals, she managed to remain the leader in the WTA standings. And she will stay there until the next season begins. 

 Simona said she stills feels very sad for the French Open final she lost last summer, but as one of her goals for 2017 was to be No 1, she ends the year in a positive note. Her game started to improve lately, and it seems that her biggest problem, the mental part, is not as disturbing as it used to be. 

Watch the awarding ceremony here: click

One of the most consistent WTA players, finally gets there. But no Grand Slam yet... 

AND YET ANOTHER STORY, CAROLINE GARCIA: THE RISING STAR

Another Caroline, Garcia, was the last to qualify for this year’s finals. WTA No 8, was, personally, my favourite player of this tournament. Very strong mentally and with a powerful attack style game, she put in trouble all the other players she met here. She even beat Wozniacki in the groups. I am looking forward to see her rising even more next year.

FINALLY, FAN BATTLE :D

Nothing gets more fun on facebook these days than following fans fight over the new world's number 1. From people lamenting there is no one single dominant player in women's tennis, to people arguing one does not need a Grand Slam to be a champion. Consistency or fame? What would you choose?

An article analyzing this particular topic here: click

FINAL STANDINGS OF 2017 IN WTA

Sources:

wtatennis.com

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2017/10/tough-call-will-any-wta-player-win-more-one-major-2018/70159/

http://www.hindustantimes.com